RMS Leinster Centenary Exhibition opens in Dún Laoghaire

As part of the centenary commemorations of the sinking of the RMS Leinster on 10 October 1918, the National Maritime Museum of Ireland in association with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, yesterday launched a fascinating curated exhibition, including artefacts recovered from the ill-fated vessel, at the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire town.

The exhibition, which commemorates the centenary of this maritime disaster when 568 civilian passengers, crew, post office workers and military from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, perished when the RMSLeinster, a Royal Mail Ship, was torpedoed off the Kish Bank outside Dublin Bay by German submarine UB-123 just one month before the end of World War One. As fate would have it the submarine was sunk a week later, presumed to have struck a mine, with the loss of all on board.

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Pictured at the launch of the Maritime Museum's RMS Leinster Centenary Exhibition were Padraic O'Brolchain, National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Councillor Ossian Smyth, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Richard McCormick, President, Maritime Institute.

As part of a suite of centenary commemorations being held in the run up to the October 10 anniversary, An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Cllr Ossian Smyth, was on hand to officially open the exhibition with National Maritime Museum of Ireland President Richard McCormick. The Museum and the town of Dún Laoghaire will be the centre for these commemorations.

Speaking at the event An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Cllr Ossian Smyth said;

I am delighted to be here to launch this absorbing exhibition in the National Maritime Museum. The sinking of RMSLeinster was a tragic event with significant loss of life of people from the wider Dún Laoghaire area. This exhibition and the centenary commemorations this year will bring the story of the loss of RMS Leinster to a new generation of local people

Richard McCormick President of the National Maritime Museum of Ireland added; "The display of original ship’s artefacts, personal memorabilia and stories will preserve the memory of those involved in Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead’s worst ever maritime disaster a century ago when seven out of ten of those onboard RMS Leinster perished.”

A full list of commemorative events will be issued in August.

For information on the National Maritime Museum’s exhibitions and events see here.